Sunday Afternoon Reflections: Proverbs 18:10

One of the texts that were preached upon this morning was Proverbs 18:10 [& 11], “10 The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous man runs into it and is safe.  11 A rich man’s wealth is his strong city, and like a high wall in his imagination.” (ESV) 

It would be very easy to misread, misuse, or misapply this text by assuming this proverb teaches that we simply need to be ready, willing, and able to run to God and his protection in order to be saved.  Yet, this raises the question, “In a time of war, who has the right to approach a fortress tower in order to seek protection?”  Only those who are citizens of that particular city are welcome into that city’s defensive tower or keep.  It has always been that way.  In biblical times, a Philistine raider couldn’t seek refuge from King David and his mighty men by holding up in Jerusalem on the Temple Mount.  And, today, an Al Queda terrorist couldn’t seek shelter from a Predator Drone by holding up with the US Army’s 1st Armored Division in a Bradley Fighting Vehicle.  Only citizens of a particular nation have the right to seek shelter in the defenses of that particular nation. 

We live in the midst of the fray of the cosmic battle between God and Satan; between the Kingdom of Heaven and the powers and principalities of this age, between good and evil.  As such, the only way we can call on the name of the Lord to seek shelter within him is if we have first been granted citizenship into the Kingdom of Heaven by new birth into Christ Jesus via the effectual call of the Holy Spirit according to the will of the Father.  In other words, God has to make you and I citizens before we can have the privilege of protection and shelter within the Kingdom of Heaven (Phil 3:18—4:1; Eph 2:19—22; 2 Cor 5:16—17).  God makes us citizens of his kingdom, and, then, we live as citizens of his kingdom, in part, by calling on his name for shelter. 

But, how could we possibly trust that the name of the Lord is a strong enough tower?  How can we truly believe that the Kingdom of Heaven is an invincible protection and shelter from all evil?  Even the strongest nations fail their citizens.  No country can perfectly protect its people.  In the past week and a half, in two stunning instances, the Unites States has failed her citizens in places of military conflict.  First, in the midst of the Libyan conflict/civil war, the US state department chartered a ship to evacuate US citizens from Libya.  Unfortunately, the ship that they chartered was too small to handle the weight of evacuees while sailing in the turbulent weather of the open seas.  So, the ship and the evacuees had to spend a few extra days in a dangerous port awaiting calmer seas.  Second, while sailing around the world distributing bibles, two couples (Scott and Jean Adam, Robert Riggle and Phyllis Macay) were captured by Somali pirates.  For three days four US Navy ships tried to recover the two couples held hostage in their yacht.  Tragically, despite the massive strength, firepower, and technology of four warships, the two couples were killed by their Somali captors. 

Will God ever fail me?  Can I ever be held just beyond the reach of God’s mighty arm?  Can I stray too far from the Lord’s care, mercy, love, and compassion? Too often we fail to trust God’s provision because we fail to believe that God is all powerful (omnipotent).  Unlike earthly nations, counties, or kingdoms with limited power, strength, and resources, God’s power is limitless and infinite.  He will not fail us -- he is perfectly reliable.  In fact, the name of the LORD is the only omnipotent security for the two Bible-smuggling couples who were recently killed, not the Unites States and her Navy.

Through the Prophet Isaiah, God says, “Lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look at the earth beneath; for the heavens vanish like smoke, the earth will wear out like a garment, and they who dwell in it will die in like manner; but my salvation will be forever, and my righteousness will never be dismayed” (ESV Isaiah 51:6; see also Lam 3:22).

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Book Review: "Desiring God: Meditations of a Christian Hedonist" Revised Edition by John Piper

If you are going to purchase a copy of John Piper’s “Desiring God: Meditations of a Christian Hedonist”, I urge you buy the Revised Edition.  If you already have the first edition, by all means invest in the Revised Edition; there is enough new grist in the Revised Edition to make an upgrade that is well worth the $14.99 suggested retail price.

Why?

First, the context and style of the Revised Edition gives the book greater weightiness.  You may be thinking, “Context and style issues shouldn’t take precedence over issues of content.” I would tend to agree with you in all most all cases; however, it’s context and style that lend greater credence and cogency to the overall content of this edition, and it’s context and style that set this edition apart from the previous edition(s).  With respect to context and style, in the 25 years since the first edition came out, two contextual aspects make this edition more meaningful.  (A) The Revised Edition was updated in the midst of the ongoing caldron of John Piper’s ever growing life and ministry experience.  Over the past 25 years, the concepts written upon the pages of “Desiring God” appear to have developed far beyond thoughts, ideas, and concepts.  The content of the book seem to have been tried in the fires of the author’s life and ministry – in good times and in difficult times.  In the preface, the author confesses that both his ministry and life have had some difficulties since the publishing of the first edition.  Piper writes:

“One of the older women of our church quipped to us at our twenty-fifth wedding anniversary, ‘The fist twenty-five years are the hardest.’ We have not found it to be so. We are nearing the end of the second twenty-five, and undoubtedly they have been the hardest.  The body ages and things go wrong, Marriage, we found, passes through deep water as husband and wife pass through midlife and beyond.  We made it.  But we will not diminish the disquietude of those years. . . The other ‘marriage’ in my life (with Bethlehem Baptist Church) has been a mingling of sweetness and sorrow.  As I sit here pondering the years, the sweetness so outweighs the sorrow that I have no desire to dwell on the pain.” (pg. 11)

It is clear that when John Piper writes about desiring and enjoying God, he is not witting about sycophantic Pollyanna emotionalism that is conjured up with a little moralistic hocus pocus.  Piper is talking about a desire that is the product of our new birth in Christ and the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. 

(B) In the passing years since the first edition of “Desiring God”, Piper has had to answer several meaningful critiques of the theory of Christian hedonism.  As a result, the Revised Edition has a bit more of an Apologetic flavor.  The apologetics in this edition addresses some questions that the first edition left wanting (questions about the supremacy of Christ in the will of man, the laboriousness that accompanies Christian sacrifice, and the pressing hardship of Christian suffering).  The addition of a chapter on Christian suffering as the sacrifice of the Christian hedonist is a needed addition that makes the revised edition well worth the purchase.

Second, and most vitally, the content of the Revised Edition of “Desiring God” is exceptionally biblical and theologically robust.  I approached this book with my guard up against any whiff of emotionalism that seems to be prevalent in too much Christian self-help literature.  So, I did find myself trying to argue against Piper’s assertions and theories; but, more often then not, I found myself trying to argue away or minimalize Bible texts.  From a Reformed theological perspective, Piper first grounded his theory in sovereign grace and the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit.  Chapter one deals with God himself as totally sovereign and supremely pleased in himself apart from anything else (Psalm 115:3).  In chapter two, Piper argues that no one can delight in God as we are commanded to (Psalm 37:4) unless God transforms us into new creatures in Christ via the effectual calling of the Holy Spirit.  In other words, we need to be born again, which is God’s doing.  Following these two initial chapters, the rest of Piper’s theory flows out from sanctification and the ordinary means of Grace: worship (ch. 3&4), the Word (ch. 5), and prayer (ch. 6).  The remaining chapters build upon God’s sanctification and our implementation of the ordinary means of grace: money, marriage, missions, and suffering.

On a side note, “Desiring God” helped me to reconcile my admiration for Rev. Jonathan Edwards and my respect for Dr. R. Scott Clark of Westminster Seminary California.  Clark has asserted that Edwards has utilized Platonist idealism in his work “Religious Affections”.  According to Clark, Edwards rightly recognized that many or his contemporary pastors during the great awakening were confusing true conversions with false religious affections.  Where Edwards goes wrong, according to Clark, is that he tried to correct this problem by defining true conversion in terms of an ideal (in the Platonist sense) religious affection.  For Clark, the true measure of conversion is not an ideal affection.  Clark believes that true conversion is evidenced by a person’s progress in sanctification – particularly a person’s utilization of the ordinary means of grace in the process of sanctification.  Piper has helped me to bridge this divide in two ways.  (1) Piper places the Christian's desire for God within the framework of Sanctification.  Piper asserts that sanctification finds its end when a Christian finds his/her ultimate desire, delight, and joy in God and his will.  The sanctified Christian not only does the will of God more fruitfully, the sanctified Christian does the will of God with every increasing desire, delight, and joy.  As such, Piper makes much of the ordinary means of Grace in the context of sanctification that leads to transformed desires of the heart.  (2) Possibly as an outworking of the prior point, Piper’s use the term ‘desire’ instead of ‘affection’ implies the engagement of a transformed/sanctified will as opposed to a passive reception of a feeling.  Ultimately, Piper retains a high view of Christian progress in sanctification that utilizes the ordinary means of grace while highlighting the need for transformed desires in sanctification.

Third, and finally, I had some mixed thoughts on the binding and format of the book.  I liked that the book included a study guide.  The study guide is easy to use without being simplistic.  The inexpensive printing/binding makes this book accessible to wide audience.  However, I wish there were an edition printed on heavier paper with a hard cover stitched binding.  As a pastor, I tend to make many marginalia notations in books. “Desiring God” is such an influential and ground breaking book that any thoughtful Christian will be utilizing and writing notes in this book (whether or not you agree with Piper’s Christian hedonism theory).  The notes I took in this book tended to bleed through, and I am not sure how well the binding will hold up with extended use. That said, the binding and printing issues are only enough for me to downgrade the book one half a star out of five. 

Disclaimer: I received this book free for the purposes of review from WaterBrook/Multnomah Publishers.

Geneva, Calvin, Discipelship, Counseling, & Mediation

For the sake of curiosity, I purchased a $6 clearance copy of the “Registry of the Consistory of Geneva in the Time of Calvin, Vol. 1: 1542—1544” published by Eerdmans and the H.H. Meter Center for Calvin Studies Grand Rapids, Michigan. 

I was hoping to learn about three things: (1) how the Consistory of Geneva went about organizing other congregations in the fashion of Calvin’s Geneva; (2) how they went about commissioning and sending out foreign missionaries; and (3) the “ins-and-outs” of theological discussion/debate among Calvin and the Consistory of Geneva.  Well, if you have ever perused the “Registry of the Consistory of Geneva in the Time of Calvin”, you know that the majority of the registry doesn’t contain a lot of information on the afore mentions three topics/issues. 

In turn, I was surprised to see how much time and energy the Consistory of Geneva in the time of Calvin devoted to the following three areas: (1) direct personal discipleship/discipline; (2) family, marriage, and  relationship counseling for the sake of repentance, reconciliation, and restoration; and (3) mediation of legal disputes.  Three cases on one day, Thursday, April 5, 1543, (pgs. 226-227 & 229-230) are illustrative of these three points and of the majority of the content of the Registry.  First, John Calvin personally disciples and corrects Claude Tappugnier an ironmonger on his erroneous beliefs about the saving value of his good works and praying to the Virgin Mary.  Second, the Consistory deals with Jaquemaz the wife of Master Renault a quilter who’s bitter conflicts with her husband and neighboring women gave rise to her ill temper and blasphemy.  Third, the consistory mediates the case of Guillaume Villars a barber who is accused of usury.  Notice the people this consistory deals with; these are common people (a blacksmith, a quilter’s wife, and a barber) entangled in the grit and grizzle of our sinful world.  This consistory does not seem to be made up of disconnected erudite men who spend their time dealing with abstract ivory tower theology and philosophy. 

OK, so what?  In our present day and age, it seems that many American evangelical churches have become overly preoccupied by the nuts and bolts of strategic planning, visioning, goal setting, finances, facilities, committees, and administration.  Is there anything wrong with these nuts and bolts mechanical issues?  No.  In fact, the elders of a church aught to be doing this work with all due diligence and conscientiousness.  The potential problem is that some times church consistories, sessions, or elders boards become so consumed with the nuts and bolts issues of the church that discipleship, counseling, and mediation are neglected.  Or, stated differently, the interpersonal care and shepherding of the people in the pew is neglected due to a glut of administrative business. 

I have a recollection of hearing Dr. Tim Lane of the Christian Counselors and Educators Foundation and Rev. Alfred Poirier of Peacemaker Ministries each saying something to the effect of, “The current proliferation of lawyers and counselors exists because the church has forfeited two of her prized/privileged roles: peacemaking and counseling.”  I would add, the current proliferation of young people walking away for the church “because they don’t get the relevance of the Christian faith” is happening because the church has forfeited the honor of disciple-making.  I believe most elders would enjoy and prize the honored privilege of discipleship, counseling, and mediation; however, many elders are simply hampered by an inordinate amount of administrative work.  It is not that elders don’t want to engage in discipleship, counseling, and mediation; it is that they are hindered from these joyful labors.

The Inaugural Post

“So, why title this blog ‘Footnotes’?”

Iain Murray wrote of Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, “[He] used to advise us not to quote others unless we were sure we could not say it so well ourselves” (John Calvin: A Heart for Devotion, Doctrine, and Doxology, ed. Burk Parsons, Reformation Trust, Orlando, pg. xvi).

“OK. . .  Again, why title this blog ‘Footnotes’?”

The “unofficial theme passage” for this blog is Ecclesiastes 1 – especially verses 13, 14, and 17.  In the North American context it seems as if every thing possible has been written or said about the Christian faith, all I can really add to the conversation are footnotes and quotations. 

“That’s all well and good, but if nearly everything seems to have been written or said about the Christian faith, why say or write anything more at all?”

With respect to conversation in general, it is the disinterested, non-concerned, and un-invested person who passively takes in conversation like an idle bump on a log.  The disinterested person carelessly takes in chatter in order to ward off silence or boredom.  To this person there is almost no difference between watching a b-rate cable documentary on the history of sand and conversing with another living breathing human being.  But, I am not a disinterested, non-concerned, careless, un-invested person – especially when it comes to the Christian faith.  I am interested in the Christian faith; I am concerned about the Christian faith; I care deeply about the Christian faith; and, because of the sovereign saving grace of God, I am totally invested in the Christian faith.  Therefore, I am compelled to engage in the greater “conversation” of the Christian faith.

In Philippians 4:8, Paul writes, “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things” (ESV).  Notice that Paul gives this exhortation in a letter that is famous for its call to joy and rejoicing.  Those people who’s lives are marked by a joy that is active and worshipful are most likely those who’s thought-life is best described by Philippians 4:8.  And, conversely, those who's thought-life is best described by Philippians 4:8 are most likely those who’s lives are marked by a joy that is active and worshipful.  

We Christians in North America are truly blessed with an abundance of resources such as books, journals, magazines, videos, mp3’s, conferences and more (sure there is a lot of errant and unhealthy material out there, but there is a lot of truly good stuff out there as well).  When I “think on these things”, I am moved to be so much more than a passive consumer: I am moved to worship.  I want to celebrate the good things God has blessed us with – in particular good books, teaching, articles and the like.  And, as it has been said, worship is not complete until it is expressed.  So, this blog is an opportunity for me to give expression to the worship that takes place in my times of personal study, reflection, meditation, and devotions.  This is my opportunity to engage the broader Christian conversation with a footnote here and there.

My practical encouragement/exhortation/application: don’t just consume a lot of “Christian stuff”; be engaged and do so with an eye to worship.  When you read good Christian material, when you converse about the Christian faith, do so with an awareness that your reading and conversing is an opportunity to worship.